Joan,a neuroscience graduate student,is asked by her laboratory mentor to study the communication of two neurons grown in a petri dish.She is asked to stimulate an action potential in the first neuron,which will send a depolarizing stimulus to the second,"receiving" neuron.However,her mentor would also like her to block the receiving neuron from generating an action potential.How can Joan accomplish this?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Blocking the process of summation in the receiving neuron would prevent it from generating an action potential. Summation is the process by which a neuron integrates the incoming signals to determine whether to generate an action potential or not. By blocking summation, Joan can prevent the second neuron from generating an action potential even if the first neuron sends a depolarizing stimulus.

Joan,a Neuroscience Graduate Student,is Asked by Her Laboratory Mentor to Study